The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) while pronouncing a reserved verdict in the case pertaining to the on the interpretation of Article 62-1F has abolished the lifetime disqualification. The ruling was made by a distinguished 7-member bench of the apex court, featuring Chief Justice Qazi Faiz Isa, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Justice Yahya Afridi, Justice Aminuddin Khan, Justice Jamal Mandukhel, …

Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that due to the ongoing winter wave, schools will resume on 10th Jan 2024. He said from 10th January to 22nd Jan, schools will start at 9:30 am. The caretaker CM said that It is highly advisable to wear jackets and warm clothes. Earlier, amidst intensifying winter conditions, the Education Department of Khyber …

The Supreme Court (SC) postponed the hearing on the presidential reference against the late former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s death sentence until after the general elections in the third week of February. The date for the next hearing will be announced later. A nine-member larger bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez …

The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi Bench reserved on Sunday its decision on the disqualification appeal by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz presided over the election tribunal and Barrister Ali Zafar represented the PTI chief. Imran’s counsel prayed to the tribunal to annul the decision made by the returning officer on Imran’s nomination papers. Zafar argued …

The Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) rejected the criticism against the Senate resolution to delay polls and requested the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to consider the resolution as there was nothing unusual in it. BAP spokesman Senator Kauda Babar rejected the criticism of the resolution and questioned have elections had never been delayed before today and was it was a …

Uncertainty hangs over the upcoming general elections, as the secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Omar Hamid Khan, has reportedly suddenly fallen seriously ill and offered to resign. According to unconfirmed sources, while Hamid hasn’t officially submitted a written resignation yet, an important meeting was held between him and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja to discuss …

The federal government constituted on Saturday a cabinet committee to investigate the incidents of May 9, when public and private property was vandalized by violent PTI supporters following the arrest of PTI founder. According to the notification, the caretaker federal law and justice minister will be the convener committee. Other members of the committee include ministers of interior, information, and …

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa has said that every citizen has the right to disagree with the judiciary. The CJP made these remarks during a speech he delivered at the launch event of the e-campus of the Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad. The academy is functioning under a strong board, which includes important personalities. He further said …

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has completed priority-based training for election supervisory staff appointed for the smooth conduct of the 2024 general elections. According to the electoral body, the training of 579,191 people has been completed, while the remaining 406,222 people will complete training by February 1. ECP spokesman said on Thursday that the Commission had initiated training for …

Several senior political leaders including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, Zulfi Bukhari, Atif Khan, Naeem Haider Panjutha, Firdous Shamim Naqvi and others have secured relief from election tribunals as their nomination papers were accepted for the February 8 general elections. Hearing of objections filed against the rejection or acceptance of nomination papers by the election tribunals …

President Dr. Arif Alvi on Friday approved the reconstitution of the Council of Common Interests (CCI. The president gave the approval under Article 153 of the Constitution. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar will be the chairman of the council. All four Chief Ministers of the provinces and three federal ministers will be the members of the council. Caretaker federal ministers for Finance, …

The Supreme Court (SC) reserved its decision on Friday in the matter related to the re-examining of the lifetime disqualification of lawmakers under Article 62 (1) (f) of the Constitution. “We will try to come up with a shorter order as soon as possible. Probably not today but it will be very soon God willing,” said Chief Justice Qazi Faez …

The United States State Department spokesperson Mathew Miller in press briefing said that U. S. supported democracy could not how to conduct elections. Responding to a question about ECP rejecting nomination papers of ex-PM Imran Khan baring him to contest the elections and how the US assess the situation when you call for free and fair elections, Miller said that …

With the next general elections hardly a month away, the Senate passed a resolution on Friday seeking a delay in elections citing security concerns. The resolution, presented by independent Senator Dilawar Khan, was opposed by Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Afnan Ullah Khan. The upper house of parliament has a total of 100 members, …

In a tragic incident, three shepherd children were dead in a landmine blast in North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa۔ Local sources report that the explosion occurred in the fields in Mir Ali, where the children, aged between 5 to 15 years, were grazing goats. The deceased children belonged to Khajoori Zakir Khel village, the police said. The bodies were moved to …

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored on Thursday 10-year disqualification for the convicts charged under the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). The IHC’s division bench consisting of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz restored the 10-year disqualification period of convicts As per the verdict, the disqualification period spanned five years instead of 10. Today’s order came during the …

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has filed an application before the Supreme Court against the Peshawar High Court’s  (PHC) decision regarding the party’s election symbol. The high court had accepted the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plea and withdrew its previous stay order on the ECP verdict annulling the PTI’s intra-party poll and subsequently withdrawing its election symbol of bat. The …

Former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Faiz Hameed, has reportedly recorded his statement before the Faizabad dharna inquiry commission. Sources said that the former ISI director general has answered the questions provided by the commission. The sources further said that Faiz Hameed has claimed he negotiated with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) on the instructions of the then government of …

The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE) has suggested some very important election reforms, including a reduction in the National Assembly’s term, more powers for the election commission, the size of the cabinet, and the number of seats a single candidate can contest. As per the report, titled ‘Reform Agenda’, the prominent economic and research think tank has suggested the …

ISLAMABAD: A thick blanket of fog starting from Tuesday night in Pakistan’s federal capital Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi has disrupted bus, train and flight schedules and affected the daily life of local residents. A man rides a bicycle amid heavy fog on a road in Peshawar, Pakistan, Jan. 3, 2024. (Photo by Umar Qayyum) Vehicles run amid heavy …

The Balochistan government has suspended 44 government employees in Turbat and Kohlu, including some officers, for allegedly participating in and facilitating a protest sit-in and rally against the alleged killing of Balaach Mola Bakhsh. An official notification issued by the commissioner of Makran division confirmed the action against 30 government employees from various departments in Turbat. Officials stated that the …

President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday stressed improving the status of women by providing them with an enabling work environment to increase their economic participation. The president highlighted that following the rights granted by Islam, it was the responsibility of the society to give them their due share and create a safer society for them. He expressed these views while …

Several Indian Army officers and officials have been killed in attacks by Kashmiri freedom fighters in 2023, as the military unleashed a wave of cruelty on innocent Kashmiris, violating UN resolutions for decades. In 2019, India’s BJP-led government stripped off the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of its constitution. In December, Lt General Sandeep Jain, …

Former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was taken to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology (PIC) after his health deteriorated in prison. Doctors at the PIC conducted Elahi’s medical tests on complaints of chest pain. The reports of his electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram are awaited. Pervaiz Elahi is among several PTI leaders and supporters …

The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the Inspector General Police (IGP) of Punjab Dr Usman Anwar, chief secretary and AG Punjab on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for failing to address the party concerns regarding level-playing field ahead of the upcoming polls. A three-member bench, headed by …

National Democratic Movement leader Mohsin Dawar’s vehicle was targeted by unknown gunmen on Wednesday in the North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As per reports, Mohsin Dawar survived the attack due to the vehicle being bulletproof. Unknown assailants open multiple bullets on the rear mirror of the former MNA and partner of the former coalition government of the Pakistan Democratic …

ISLAMABAD:  A high-profile business delegation, led by Li Ting, Chairman of the Chang Chinag Chamber of Commerce, China met with Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Special Initiatives, Muhammad Sami Saeed, in Islamabad on Tuesday. The meeting aimed to discuss potential collaboration opportunities between Pakistan and China across various sectors, fostering business expansion and exploring new investment avenues. Comprising eight …

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has urged authorities to crack down on fertilizer hoarders, smugglers, and profiteers, claiming that the country has enough urea storage for the current wheat season. A statement issued by the PM Office Media Wing on Monday said that there was enough urea in the country to meet demand and action would be taken against …

The security forces find themselves facing a renewed threat from terrorists equipped with foreign weapons believed to have originated in Afghanistan. This alarming trend has reignited concerns about the role of Afghanistan’s interim government in curbing the flow of arms and preventing their use against Pakistan. The Pakistan Army has been fighting the war against the TTP for the past …

The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of a case related to missing persons till 11:30am on Wednesday, while Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa remarked during the hearing that the court could not order parliament to enact legislation. On Tuesday, a three-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by CJP Isa and comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and …

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has decided to establish over 92,500 polling stations nationwide, with the official polling scheme to be revealed 15 days before the scheduled February 8 general elections. For the upcoming general elections, it has been determined that Punjab will have 51,821 polling stations across 438 national and provincial constituencies, while Sindh will have 19,236 polling …

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday nullified the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) decision to suspend the appointment of a returning officer in PK-91, Kohat. Last week, the electoral body filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the PHC order, suspending its order about the appointment of Irfanullah as a returning officer (RO) for the provincial assembly constituency of PK-91 …

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Monday issuing a stern warning against terrorism in Balochistan said that separatists are receiving funding from India’s RAW. Speaking to the media in Lahore, Mr Kakar acknowledged the right to protest within the constitutional framework but firmly stated that terrorism would not be tolerated. He also condemned the recent clashes in Islamabad where …

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Chinese Companies and Investors called on the Caretaker Federal Minister for Privatisation, Mr. Fawad Hasan Fawad today at Privatisation Division. The Federal Minister appreciated the interest of the Chinese companies and briefed them regarding investment opportunities in Pakistan. He observed that the true potential of the partnership between the two countries in trade and investment is …

The process of filing nomination papers for general elections has been completed and now candidates have started filing appeals against the decisions of returning officers (ROs) against their candidatures The respective appellate tribunals will decide on the appeals by January 10 and election symbols allotted to the candidates on January 13. As per the election commission schedule, the scrutiny of …

India and Pakistan exchanged lists of their respective nuclear installations on Monday, as well as lists of the other country’s prisoners in their jails through diplomatic channels. According to sources, the lists of nuclear facilities between Pakistan and India were exchanged in Islamabad and Delhi. Pakistan’s lists were handed over to a senior official of the Indian High Commission in …

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has written a letter to the media regulatory authority, pointing out alleged violations of the election code of conduct by some TV channels. The letter seeks action from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) against media houses violating the election code of conduct. Some channels are broadcasting poll surveys, which is prohibited according …

Pakistan took the lead in helping the Palestinian brothers and sisters while the third batch of relief goods was dispatched from Noor Khan Air Base, Rawalpindi by a special flight of Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The third aid shipment contained about 20 tonnes of essential items including surgical or medical supplies, dry food items, and gift bags for children as …

The inquiry commission probing into the Faizabad sit-in of 2017 has summoned PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif. Sources say that Shehbaz has been summoned by the commission on January 3 to record his statement. They added that he has been summoned in his capacity as the former chief minister of Punjab. On December 29, the commission had summoned former director general of the …

Five dead bodies have been found near CRBC Canal in Dera Ismail Khan, Police said that five dead bodies identified as Inayatullah, Naimatullah, Sajawal, Aslam and Kifayat have been found at 14th Road near CRBC Canal. Police has taken dead bodies in their custody and initiated further inquiry of the matter. Police said that few years back some persons had disgraced …